450 Lexington Avenue

[Law & Order]

450 Lexington Avenue-

Lexington Avenue and 45th Street
Height: 568 feet 173 metres
Floors: 32
Finished: 1992
Zip Code: 10017
Architect: Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP, Warren & Wetmore

http://www.450lexington.com/

http://www.450lexington.com/images/interior/building_specific/propertycollage.jpg

They have a nice map here-
http://www.450lexington.com/map.shtml
(http://www.450lexington.com/map.shtml)

Emporis- 450 Lexington Avenue (http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=115528)


Images and Text from SOM Website-
(http://www.som.com/main.cfm?ID=384&wrapper=project&basepath=%2Fresources%2Fprojects%2F3%2F8%2F4%2F&categoryID=29&lastList=%2Fsearch.cfm)
Built over the historic Grand Central Station Post Office, 450 Lexington Avenue is a 40-story office tower. The design addresses both the aesthetic and the technical issues of the project by solving the structural intricacies of locating footings between the railroad tracks of Grand Central Station, while maintaining the spirit of the original landmark building. Completed in 1991, the 800,000 sf building establishes a strong presence on an important Midtown site while remaining consistent with the details of its historic base.

In this constricted neighborhood, the full height of the project is rarely seen as a whole. To consolidate the glimpses of the building one sees from the street, neighboring buildings and distant angles, a consistent building theme of rotated-square decorative elements taken from the Post Office's facade were incorporated throughout the building, culminating in a crowning basket of metal and glass at the top of the tower. This crown, illuminated from within at night, marks 450 Lexington's image among the historic buildings within this portion of Manhattan's skyline.

The construction of the building went forward based on SOM's success in reshaping the building core and interior column-free space for the particular requirements of the proposed primary tenant who occupied approximately one-half of the office floor space. Access to the office tower is through a processional sequence of spaces rarely seen in New York, beginning with the existing structure's monumental portals serving as ground floor entrance lobbies. Shuttle elevators transfer tenants to the sixth-floor sky lobby, a grand double-height space overlooking seasonal gardens.


Edward, you dont have a page for this on the Wired New York site?

[TLOZ Link5]

The ornate exterior of the the base betrays little of the interior of the post office, which is blandly modernized.

If anyone has seen Almost Famous, you'll note that the obligatory streetscape shots of New York when the band comes to the city includes a shot of the Park Avenue South facade of Grand Central, with 450 Lex clearly shown in the background. Of course, the film is set in 1973, which makes the appearance of an office tower completed in 1992 unlikely. A great movie nonetheless.

[kliq6]

building is a gem, 100% leased

[TLOZ Link5]

building is a gem, 100% leased

No doubts there. It's one of SOM's better projects anywhere, and its proximity to GCT gives it a distinct advantage.

[Bob]

Ghastly. In the same league as 60 Wall Street. Ugh.

[sfenn1117]

I think it's much better and less noticeable than 60 Wall. This is one of SOM's best in NYC, a great pomo tower.

[Stern]

You can never satisfy anyone. Here's a situation just like Hearst. I remember when Hearst was being built many called for a historical addition like this, yet others hate this approach. Personally I like both, ofcourse Hearst is better.

[dbhstockton]

Only slightly more slick than its corporate post-modern contemporaries. A lot of vaguely fascist nonsense.

[lofter1]

Only slightly more slick than its corporate post-modern contemporaries. A lot of vaguely fascist nonsense.
The Italians did much better "fascist nonsense" :

http://www.nyc-architecture.com/ARCH/Notes-Fascist-IT.htm

[TLOZ Link5]

Only slightly more slick than its corporate post-modern contemporaries. A lot of vaguely fascist nonsense.

If that's what you believe, then I'd recommend that you steer clear of Chicago for just the same reasons.

[GLNY]

Only slightly more slick than its corporate post-modern contemporaries. A lot of vaguely fascist nonsense.

Vaguely fascist? You feel oppressed by this building? I've worked in the neighborhood since groundbreaking and never heard such idiocy. Try venturing outdoors to visit the area. This was a strictly money-making project, a background building designed with a paltry nod to the GCT complex; the design lacks any further pretensions. In fact, due to the setback atop the post office, the building is mostly obscured from the street.